Comaraderie, brothers-in-arms, esprit-de-corps, commitment, dedication…Unless you’ve served your country in the armed forces of the United States, these terms probably don’t mean much. For those of us who did serve–proudly, gallantly, nobly–these terms mean everything. They’re not just a call to arms; they’re our code of conduct. They’re the way we carry ourselves. They denote our commitment to one another, the importance of taking care of our own. The uniforms worn by the select and exceptional men and women signify the call to duty–the ideals, and the shared title of being an American and believing in all that means. More than any other factor, it’s those ideals that truly bind servicemen and women together, across all five branches.
Our brotherhood–that inexorable bond–doesn’t mean we’re not competitive with one another. Fierce rivalries exist among the five branches. We’ve been known to throw down with brothers-in-arms in defense of our particular branch. We rib one another good-naturedly with insults and derrogatory terms. That’s what brothers and sisters do. Our familial skirmishes and disses are ours exclusively. If you didn’t serve, you won’t be invited to participate. Like good families are, we’re mostly respectful and proud of our brothers-in-arms. We thank one another for having served.
I’ll give you an example. During a visit to Chope’s in La Mesa in 2025, we couldn’t help but notice the burly, leather-clad biker gang occupying a corner of the restaurant. While other diners avoided that corner, I recognized the tatoos sported by several of the gang’s members and went over to thank them for their service. Grateful for my sincerity, they asked if I, too, served. My proud admission to being an Air Force retiree met with affable persiflage about the Air Force being a country club, not a military branch. I retaliated with a comment about having been too smart to be recruited by the Marines. Rather than thrashing me mercilessly, they invited me to join in their war stories. Almost invariably that’s what my comrades-in-arms do when meeting someone in our exclusive fraternity.
Upon learning of a new restaurant in Albuquerque’s south valley about 30 miles south of our Rio Rancho home, my initial reaction was a dismissal–it’s too far to go for more tacos. Then I read that the restaurant, Al Trompo Mexican Grill, is owned by a former Marine and his son, also a Marine. To me, that’s like the Armed Forces seal of approval. You can trust former military members to emphasize quality. It’s just the way we’re wired. There’s no doubt we’d not only have a great meal, but we’d be treated with respect and kindness. Sure enough, as we were perusing the menu, Al Trompo’s genial owner came over and we confabbed about our time in the service. His experiences at Marine boot camp were dissimilar to mine–mine like a grade school P.E. class, his like the Bataan Death March without all the death.
We had some concerns about the construction project on Rio Bravo and were grateful that our exit (south on Isleta) didn’t require us to traverse too far west on the four-lane highway strewn with New Mexico’s unoffical state flower, the orange barrel. Al Trompo is within Whopper wafting distance of Burger King. Al Trompo occupies the space which previously housed Perico’s Tacos & Burritos. The space is commodious and comfortable though much of the seating is of the high-top variety. A number of flat-screen televisions are positioned throughout the restaurant for the rare diners who aren’t fixated on their ubiquitous phones.
Texas Monthly defines a “trompo” as “a large vertical rotating spit used to cook marinated pork for Tacos al Pastor. Translating to “spinning top” in English, the device and cooking technique were adapted by Mexican cooks in the 1920s from Lebanese shawarma.” The anatomy of a trompo consists of several elements: meat, stack, toppers and cooking:
- The Meat: Thin slices of pork are marinated in a blend of dried chiles (such as guajillo), achiote paste, garlic, and spices.
- The Stack: The marinated meat is stacked tightly onto the vertical rotisserie, creating an upside-down cone shape.
- The Toppers: A whole onion and a fresh pineapple are typically placed at the very top of the spit.
- The Cooking: The spit rotates slowly in front of a gas or charcoal flame. As the meat roasts, the juices and pineapple enzymes baste the pork, creating crispy, charred edges.
As you step into Al Trompo, the restaurant’s cynosure is to your right. You’ll espy several trompos–not just the one for the al pastor. Other meats, such as carne asada and chicken also receive the rotisserie treatment. Unlike at many Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants, the meats are stacked by the restaurant staff. You can’t buy a trompo from Shamrock or Cisco. That makes a significant difference in terms of flavor, texture and experience. Also making a significant difference is getting housemade tortillas and watching the tortillera at work. It’s a treat to observe her in action as she rolls the masa into balls and presses them into perfect, flat orbs then deftly places them on a hot comal until they’re perfectly pinto-pony charred. She’s as adept at flour tortillas as she is at corn tortillas.
After you’ve placed your order, you’ll want to make a trip (or six) to the inviting salsa bar where multi-colored salsas of varying piquancy are yours for the taking as are pickled jalapeños, limes, grilled onions and cucumbers. Pile on the fresh, crisp chips and ladle the salsas of your choice onto plastic ramekins and you’ll be introduced to the high caliber of dining you’ll enjoy at every bite. Al Trompo’s line-up includes a mild (wimpy) Salsa Botanero and a devilishly piquant habanero-based Diablo Salsa.
Not surprisingly there’s an orderly and efficient process even for ordering your food. An overhead menu lists each item though you should feel free to ask questions if you’re not sure about something. “From the Trompo, straight to your entree!” That’s what you need to understand. Whether you order tacos, burritos, loaded fries, loaded papas, quesadillas, tostadas or any of the other plates, you can watch as the meat of your choice is shaved off the trompo and sliced into smaller-than-bite-sized pieces. Your order is transported to what might best be described as the “fixings station.” There you can ask for chopped onions, cilantro, shredded queso, roasted corn, crema Mexicana and more adornment for your dish.
Order a taco on a homemade corn tortilla and you can add from among four base choices: pinto beans cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice or none; four protein choices: al pastor, chicken, asada, veggie; and the aforementioned toppings. Also available on the toppings station are your choice of queso: cotija or mozzarella. It’s a magnificent melange of ingredients sure to elevate your dish. For larger appetites, Al Trompo offers the “Dos Amigos,” two fresh-cut meats straight from the trompo, an unlimited number of toppings, fresh homemade tortillas (two flour or six corn). The Dos Amigos is meant to feed two to three people (or one Gil). If your dining party includes three or four people, ask for the Tres Moqueteros (three musketeers).
As you can see from the photo above, the Dos Amigos plate is formidable, not something a sole diner (not even me) is likely to polish off in one sitting (I took half of it home). I did manage to construct six tacos from the six corn tortillas, stuffing them generously with chopped onions, cilantro and mozzarella before stuffing myself. Both meats were absolutely delicious. The marinated, spit-roasted al pastor was characteristically bold and smoky with a bright citrusy tang and subtle kick. The carne asada, so reminiscent of a flavorful, juicy grilled steak was savory and “beefy.” Nestled in the corn tortillas (with a pronounced corn flavor), those magnificent meats and toppings made for great tacos. Add in some salsa and you’ll be in dining heaven. Though beans and rice are part of the Dos Amigos plate, I asked for two portions of pinto beans. That was a great decision.
My Kim’s choice was a quesadilla, a twelve-inch flour tortilla stuffed with mozzarella cheese and your choice of meat (al pastor, carne asada or chicken). My Kim asked for both al pastor and carne asada. Her one topping was grilled corn, her favorite vegetable prepared her favorite way. Unlike some quesadillas which are sliced like a tortilla pizza might be, Al Trompo’s quesadilla was a tortilla folded over. It was gigantic, quite a bit larger than my Kim could conceivably eat. Somehow a ramekin of crema Mexican made it onto her plate. She declared it “too spicy,” but I found it no more piquant than any Ranch dressing. It was a superb dip for my tacos.
Al Trompo Mexican Grill is a wonderful addition to Albuquerque’s culinary scene. It’s the type of eatery I’d love to share with some of my brothers-and-sisters-in-arms and with family.
Al Trompo Mexican Grill
3504 Isleta Blvd., S.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505)
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LATEST VISIT: 27 May 2026
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$
BEST BET: Dos Amigos, Quesadilla, Horchata, Salsa Bar
REVIEW #1524